Takeaways: Gaylord clinches share of first BNC title since 2005
ESCANABA ― It had been a while since Gaylord had seen sustained success when DJ Szymoniak took over the program in 2021. A team that won just three games from 2019 to 2020, it was a program that needed to change its entire identity and culture to be competitive in big-time Northern Michigan football.
Just three seasons later, the impacts that he and his coaching staff have made are already providing historic results.
The Blue Devils traveled over 200 miles to take on new Big North Conference foe Escanaba on Saturday, Oct. 7 with a chance to clinch a share of their first BNC title since 2005. They did just that, running away with a 38-8 victory over the Eskymos for their fifth league win.
Takeaways from a historic win in the UP:
Gaylord clinches first league title since 2005
The BNC has gone through a bit of a facelift itself as Gaylord has started its rise, losing Traverse City West and Central in 2022 while adding Sault Ste Marie, Marquette and Escanaba in 2023. After the Blue Devils' big win on Saturday, the Blue Devils will walk away with at least a share of the first new-look BNC crown.
This marks the first conference title for the Blue Devils since 2005 when they won the BNC with a 4-1 league record. Now 5-0 in league play, the Blue Devils can wrap up the outright league title if Marquette (4-1 BNC) loses at Cadillac next week or if Gaylord defeats Sault Ste Marie in Week 9.
Now 7-0 overall as well, Gaylord also has a chance at its first undefeated regular season since 2002, the year of the program's last district title.
Northern Michigan high school football scores, updates for Week 7
Rushing attack spreads the love
Most weeks, Gaylord's run-first offense finds a hot hand and rides it, seeing big nights from Russell Hush, Ty Bensinger and Caleb Aungst throughout the season. On Saturday, they made sure to spread the ball around to all the backs that make the Blue Devils' engine run.
Four different ball carriers had touchdowns on the night (Russell Hush, Riley Hush, Ty Bensinger and Carter Sitz) as the Blue Devils rushed for 206 total yards on the night, outgaining the Eskymos with 303 total yards to 131.
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Defense impresses yet again
Another garbage time touchdown stood between the Blue Devils and their second shutout of the season, but it was yet another impressive performance from the Gaylord defense.
They held the Eskymos to just 81 yards rushing and 50 yards passing on the night while forcing yet another fumble, adding to what has been an impressive year of forcing turnovers and getting stops. Getting off the field was key as they held Escanaba to 2-for-11 on third down on the night, another testament to the experienced Blue Devil defense.
Contact Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord Blue Devils clinsh share of Big North Conference Championship, beat Escanaba
